This book for me was just OK. I enjoyed it but at times was wondering when the plot was really going to get started. I loved the history aspect and how its based around women and the times they lived through, how hard it was and the strength they had, but again it fell a little flat for me this book.

Dickensian London, Coutts bank, 'fallen' women and Urania Cottage. The backdrop to this story is that of real life; Dickens did indeed help to found Urania Cottage, a home where fallen women could be housed/homed, educated and trained, ready for deportation to Australia. Stacey Halls has taken the historical situation and created another novel to intrigue and entertain - and to raise important issues of women, their place in society and what society did to repress those who already had little or nothing. Fact and fiction are blended together to craft an interesting story with intriguing characters such as Angela Burdetts-Coutts, Josephine and Martha, and with brief glimpses of Mr Dickens himself.

Although I enjoyed reading this I wasn't as 'hooked' as I was with Mrs England, and so to a certain extent was a little disappointed that it wasn't as gripping. What has stayed with me however are some of the descriptions of life in England for the least, the lost and the lonely. Victorian England at its lower end was not a pleasant place to live, and Halls includes several descriptions of the underlife.

And maybe there's another story line going on here too - reminding us that this level of poverty and desperation still exists in our world today.

I'm glad to have read The Household and am grateful to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced reader copy. These views are my own.

I absolutely loved this story, I loved the way it went from a high wealthy lonely lady to underprivileged young girls. The historical element with Charles Dickens threaded through the story was inspired. I couldn’t put this book down and wanted to get to the end to see where the story took all of the key characters.

I was completely drawn in to this book from the very start. I felt I could picture the entire novel as though it was a film due to the wonderful writing of the author.

The plot was well-thought out, thorough in its detail and depth of each character, and although I did wonder halfway through how exactly all the storylines would be woven together, I was not left disappointed when that finally did happen. There some twists I didn’t see coming and others I hoped for… overall, a wonderful read that immerses you in the past.

I absolutely loved reading The Household by Stacey Halls. She is one of my all time favourite historical fiction authors.

Angela Burdett-Coutts (as in the private bank!) and Charles Dickens (yes, the author!) are two of the trustees of a charity running Urania Cottage in leafy Shepherds Bush in Middlesex. Urania Cottage is designed to give women recently released from prisons or work houses a second chance, where they are given a religious education, learn how to read and write, how to cook and keep house.

The story focuses on the trials and tribulations of Josephine and Martha, two of the women who chose to go to Urania House. It also focuses on the torment running through Angela’s life, despite her extreme wealth and privilege. Even though they have very different social standings in Victorian London, their lives bisect one anothers.

Stacey Halls really makes her characters so believable and you can’t help but root for them and hope they find happiness or whatever they are looking for.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Bonnier Books UK, for making available the e-ARC in exchange for fair and honest review.

Having read The Familiars, I was intrigued to read another of Stacey Halls's historical books, and The Household did not disappoint.
With a base planted in truth, Halls adds a layer of imagination to the story of Charles Dickens' home for fallen women, Urania Cottage, backed by Miss Burdett-Coutts and some of its earliest (fictitious) residents.
In the 1800s, Dickens had the idea of creating this refuge or home to rehabilitate those known as fallen women, teaching them household jobs and skills, with a view to transporting them to Australia to start new lives.
In reality, he had much to do with choosing the women granted access to this opportunity. In the book, we don't see much of Dickens. The story revolves around the girls who are the first residents and their backstories, as well as the horrific stalking that Angela Burdett-Coutts experienced for a length of time.
The historical aspect of the story, peppered with facts but liberally seasoned with fiction leaves readers with a wonderful reading experience.
And a mention of Gravesend (my home for 20 years!) at the end made my day!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bonnier Books for an ARC.

I really enjoy Stacey Hall’s books and her style of writing! Not my usual genre so good to be pushed! This book was as good as the others i’ve read! A historical fiction based on truth, this book had interesting and believable characters and storylines that had me guessing.

Wow! This has to be my favorite Stacey Halls novel yet. I loved the characters, the twists and the fact that this story is based on real events is just a perfect recipe for a book that has spell bound! I could not put this one down.

I just reviewed The Household by Stacey Halls. #TheHousehold #NetGalley

One of my favourite authors who never disappoints!

Another great tale by Stacey Halls about women fighting to survive in a time where men and wealth ruled!

It’s a story of life, family, loyalty and that, in the real world, rank nor age really matters. As the Beatles would say “All you need is love” and this book has it in abundance.

Another absolute GEM from Stacey Halls ✨📖I was so excited to get this e-arc because everything this author writes is amazing. The Household was no exception!

Based on the real Urania Cottage (a home for “fallen women” that was co-founded by Charles Dickens) the story follows wealthy heiress Angela Coutts and a group of the young women who have found themselves with no choice but to take part in the scheme to reform their lives.

Throw in some suspense with a dangerous stalker and multiple storylines weaving together to form a really satisfying conclusion and I’d say this definitely a five star read!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to @netgalley @manilla_press and @staceyhallsauthor for this fantastic e-arc in exchange for my honest review 🥰🌙

#netgalley #staceyhallsauthor #thehousehold #bookstagram #bookreview #bookstagrammer #bookish #bookishpost #bookishlove #whatimreading #charlesdickens #historicalfiction

Gosh this was thrilling. The premise of the book was great, rich heiress feels the need to do something “useful” but the rich heiress, Angela, was a fascinating character and so was absolutely everyone you came across in the book- Mrs Holdsworth, the “fallen” women in Umbria cottage. I absolutely did not see the twist coming with Martha- I thought that was very clever and there were many moments where I felt very on edge whilst reading- such drama and intrigue! I feel like there is plenty of scope for a sequel, I for one would love to know what happens next for all of them!

Set in 1847, a number of young, unfortunate women are given the chance to start a new life at Urania cottage on the condition that they do not disclose their pasts with each other.

Angela Burnett Jones is the extremely rich benefactor of the scheme. She quickly becomes more and more involved with the girls and their lives become intertwined.

Loved this book and couldn’t put it down. A brilliant historical fiction novel combining history, loveable and inspiring characters and atmospheric mystery.

I especially loved the characters and the bonds forged with each other. The fact that the novel is based on real historical events and characters made it even more special for me.

The cover is also beautiful and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy for my collection. Thank you so much NetGalley and Bonnier books for giving me the chance to read and review this title early.

As always, Stacey Halls tells a bewitching story which transcends the limits of social classes, and focuses on female characters. I absolutely adored the characters in this book, particularly enjoying how multifaceted they were. Moreover, kindness - whether searching for it or bequeathing it - is quite an important theme, balanced between compulsory acts of service and decisive justice.
I found interesting that the characters question technical legalities on various scales, especially when they compared stealing stockings to colonising a whole country.
Another historical fiction book to treasure on our shelves!

Stacey Halls has always been one of my favourite authors, and The Household may be her best yet. The atmosphere created is amazing, the characters, especially Martha and Josephine, are memorable, and the plot which mixes in fact with fiction, combine to make a first-rate novel.

Calling all Dickensian fans!!.... You NEED this book!

✒️She does it again!!! @staceyhallsauthor who brought us The Familiars, The Foundling and Mrs England, strikes Dickensian gold with what I think is her best novel to date.

🏚️A home for the redemption of ‘fallen women’, Urania Cottage was co-founded by Charles Dickens in Shepherd’s Bush on the then western outskirts of London in the late 1840s following an approach by Angela Burdett-Coutts, heiress to the Coutts banking fortune. The Protagonists in the story are not only Angels the Heiress herself but also some of the "fallen women" who are offered the opportunity to stay at Urania Cottage, we learn if this is a beneficial choice for them or not!

✒️This author has the exquisite knack of combining lesser know historical and factual events and adds a lil sprinkling of fiction to form a story.
I'd never heard of Urania house before but since finishing the book I've inevitably fallen down the Google rabbit hole 🕳️ on the topic.

Even though it's denied, I'm convinced a motive for Dickens involvement was to gleen some true to life experiences from the residents of Urania Cottage for fodder for his novels..but regardless it was a wonderful project to give opportunities to those that needed it so badly

I've added a lil photo of my from The Charles Dickens museum in London, if ever you have chance to visit you must!

This dropped onto my Netgalley inbox just a few days ago but I knew I had to read it straight away...it's a winner!

✒️PUB DATE 11th APRIL 2024

Really enjoyable.
The stories of strong women, doing their best with what life has thrown at them.
To some degree, the men seemed a bit of a waste of space in comparison 😁

I was fully won over by Martha, Polly and Josephine.
All their story lines weaving together, with a fixed point of the cottage, worked incredibly well.
My favourite Halls book so far.

This is an author whom I have enjoyed work from before and this was no different. Totally engaging all the way through with well written characters and a dark atmosphere. I read this in two days as it was so good

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc

Stacey Halls fails to disappoint in this her latest historical novel. I was gripped from the opening paragraph and could not put the book down. She had me fully immersed in the drama, intrigue, and suspense, especially the lives of the ‘fallen woman’ There are so many twists and turns, that it kept me guessing until the end. This story telling is so interesting, and really fascinating, Stacey Halls has captured the true events of a time in history and turned it into the most beautiful story, that made me want to know more. about it. Another triumph to add to her collection.